clipped from the CBC

Irish law makes it illegal to speak blasphemy

A reveler holds an Irish flag while attending the St. Patrick's Day Parade Tuesday, March 17, 2009 in New York. St. Patrick's Day revelers took a break from worries about the global economy to enjoy a day of shamrock-themed frivolity, dyeing city fountains green, taking icy ocean plunges and crowding sidewalks along parade routes to see and be seen.
A blasphemous slip of the tongue could cost you 25,000 euros under revamped legislation that will soon be signed into law.
In recent years, western countries such as England have been taking blasphemy laws off the books, or changing their focus so that they cover hate-related crimes in general. Ireland has taken a different approach, updating its legislation but maintaining a focus on religion.

  • He or she publishes or utters matter that is grossly abusive or insulting in relation to matters held sacred by any religion, thereby causing outrage among a substantial number of the adherents of that religion.
    		•

  • He or she intends, by the publication or utterance of the matter concerned, to cause such outrage.
    		•
    The bill puts the onus on a defendant to prove that a reasonable person would find genuine literary, artistic, political, scientific, or academic value in the matter to which the offence relates.
    Can you even fathom the stupid coming out of Ireland these days? The pious seem to have hijacked rationality, sprinkled it with magic jebus dust and cranked out this perfidious little gem of proposed legislation.
    What is outrageous is the lengths so called rational legislators go to ‘make happy’ with the delusional segments of their constituencies.